A History of Bohemian LiteratureLützow, Francis, hrabe
History
A History of Bohemian Literature
Lützow, Francis, hrabe
Czech literature -- History and criticism
While Kotter may have believed in his visions, and
physical circumstances probably explain those of Ponatovská, Drabik was
simply an impostor, who managed not only to live at free quarters, but
also to obtain considerable sums of money as a remuneration for alleged
negotiations with Turkey. It was indeed through him that Komenský, who
was integrity personified, was at Saros Patak accused of indelicacy in
financial matters and of greediness for money. These accusations were
afterwards echoed by the divines with whom Komenský was engaged in
controversies during the last years of his life, and they also found
their way into Bayle's _Dictionnaire Historique et Critique_.
It must be sufficient to note the enormous influence Drabik acquired
over Komenský; to account for it is impossible, unless we assume that
much suffering and disappointment had weakened his intellect. This
is, however, disproved by the fact that the educational works which
Komenský continued to write nearly to the end of his life show little
trace of waning mental power. It must be taken into account, also, that
visions and prophecies found very general belief in those days. Mr.
Keatinge, in his interesting book to which I have already referred,
mentions several instances of learned Englishmen who had read the
prophecies of Drabik (or Drabicius, as he was called in England), and
fully believed in them. Bayle also writes that when, in 1683, the
news that the Turks were besieging Vienna reached Paris, the name of
the prophet Drabik was in every mouth. Drabik at last came to an evil
end. A few months (fortunately) after Komenský's death, Drabik was
arrested as a swindler and conspirator. He confessed his impostures and
was executed, though he had accepted the creed of Rome in the hope of
saving his life.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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